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Boosting selectivity towards formate production using CuAl alloy nanowires by altering the CO
Ibrahim M Badawy1, Ghada E Khedr1,2, Ahmed Hafez1
1Energy Materials Laboratory (EML), School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt. nageh.allam@aucegypt.edu.
Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|June 7, 2023
Summary
Aluminum-doped copper nanowires significantly boost formate production in CO2 reduction reactions. This study reveals how aluminum doping enhances selectivity for formate, a key step in carbon dioxide utilization.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Electrocatalyst selectivity is crucial for controlling product formation.
- Carbon dioxide reduction (CO2R) is a vital process for sustainable chemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of aluminum (Al) doping on copper (Cu) nanowires for CO2R.
- To enhance formate production selectivity using modified Cu electrocatalysts.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of Al-doped Cu nanowires (12% Al).
- Electrochemical testing for CO2 reduction reactions (CO2R).
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and chronoamperometry (CA) to understand reaction mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Al-doped Cu nanowires showed a 16.9% enhancement in formate production compared to pure Cu nanowires.
- DFT and CA results suggest a preference for the formate formation pathway due to Al doping.
Conclusions:
- Aluminum doping is an effective strategy to improve the selectivity of Cu electrocatalysts for formate production.
- Understanding doping effects provides insights into tailoring electrocatalysts for specific CO2 reduction products.
